Sealing device



NOV. 9, 1948. 1, ,{SEROWY 2,453,274 l SEALING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1946 l- Jo/z 65e/0596 INVENToR.

Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT'. OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a sealing device and more specifically to a sealing arrangement for paint cans from which a portion only of the contents has been used.

With the excepdon of the lprofessional painter, it is the common practice of home owner-s, farmers and the like when doing Small painting jobs to purchase paint, all of which is not used in connection with the job for which it was purchased. It is a well known fact that the covers for the paint cans usually do not provide the desired seal once the can has been opened or in any event they are not placed on the can in a, manner to provide a satisfactory seal so that after a short time a sort of crust forms on the top of the paint which often renders the paint useless after the lapse of a sufliciently long period of time. Part of this difficulty is a result of the fact that a large quantity of air is trapped in the container with the paint remaining therein. It would be desirabie to provide a means for resealing paint cans once they are opened to preserve the paint remaining therein for future use in substantially as satisfactory a condition as before the can was opened initially. It is furthermore desired that such sealing means be inexpensive so that it can readily be furnished with the can of paint upon purchase thereof with substantially no extra cost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sealing device for resealing a paint can after the contents thereof have partially been used which sealing means is inexpensive, readily applied to a paint can, and furthermore, which provides a seal such that an absolute minimum of air contacts the paint Within the container.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a oldable cover member insertable Within a container having a predetermined amount of unused paint therein for effectively sealing the container so as to preserve the paint for an indefinite time.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a .resealing device for paint cans having the contents thereof partially used which effectively provides a vacuum seal therefor in so far as the elimination of any substantial amount of air in Contact with the paint is concerned and which utilizes some of the paint for making the seal.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive supplemental sealing device for resealing partially filled paint cans to preserve the paint contained therein subsequent to removal thereof of the sealing means initially supplied with the container which supplemental sealing means is inexpensive to manufacture and foolproof in its application to the paint container.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the acc0mpanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of the sealing means l of the present invention inserted in a suitable container for paint or the like with the upper portion of the container cut away so as to afford a clear view of the sealing means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the sealing means shown in Fig. 1 with the paint container associated therewith removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l with the sealing device in its sealing position on the surface of the paint within the container; and

Fig. 4 is a small perspective view illustrating the position of the sealing device while being inserted into the container prior to performing its sealing function.

It -should be understood that the sealing device of the present invention will be made in certain standard sizes so as to fit the paint containers being manufactured at the present time such for example as the pint container, quart container,

half gallon container, gallon container, etc. A representative container is illustrated in the drawing by the numeral lil. This container, as

is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, has a predetermined amount of paint indicated at il and extending to the level l2 contained therein. If the -cover of the can were replaced on the container, a large amount of air would be trapped in the unfilled portion of the container and in addition, there is usually an unsatisfactory seal made upon replacement of the original cover due partly to different amounts of paint being contained in various parts of the sealing rim. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an inexpensive sealing member generally indicated at I3 preferably formed of sheet metal Stamping-s. As illustrated, this sealing member 5'3 comprises a pair of semicircular members 30. and i317 which may be identical members when initially formed as will become apparent from the following description. The members I3a and |319 have the portions adjacent each other which initially comprise a plurality of spaced fingers formed as by a rolling operation or the like into hinge members which interi-lt to accommodate a hinge pin Hl, thereby pivotally relating the members te each other. The peripheral edges of the members i301 and I3b are preferably provided with projections I5 which are bent at right angles to the main body of the cover portions I3a and i313 so as to engage a substantial area of the container walls. It will be understood upon an examination of the members I3a and I3b that they could comprise identical stampings initially with the prongs I5 of one member bent upwardly and the prongs l5 of the other member bent downwardly. In order that the cover may readily be handled for removal from the paint can or for initially positioning it in its sealing position, there are provided a pair of identical handle members l@ and Il, one fastened vto each of the halves i3d lh, respectively of the sealing member i3, ais by rivets I8 or the like. If a comw pression force is applied by the operator to the free ends of the two handle portions I6 and Il, the sealing member is caused to fold in the manner schematically indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing whereby the sealing member in this folded or collapsed position may be readily inserted in the container I which usually is pro`` vided with an cverhanging rim or edge IS as is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. A suitable tension spring I9 interposed between the handle members lb and il in a manner clearly indicated in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings tends to cause the sealing member I3 to assume a position such that both halves IR-a and I3b thereof are in a common plane.

Preferably the sealing member I3 is just slightly larger by a very small amount than the internal diameter of the container so that the projections I5 are pushed against the walls of the container, thereby supporting the cover on the surface of the paint so that there is no tendency for the cover to sink into the paint or oil. A small amount of paint then squeezes between the prongs I5 and the edges of the sealing halves Ilia and i321' of the sealing member I3 as is shown at 2!! in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawing. This paint dries in view of its contact with the air to form a seal whereby air is completely removed from the paint remaining in the container Ill. With this arrangement, it is possible to preserve the paint which is unused in an opened container indefinitely so that at some future time this paint may be used satisfactorily without the spoilage occasioned by the formation of a scum or crust as is commonly the case today. Such a sealing member can be manufactured for a very small sum preferably under five cents so that it may be provided with the paint container with substantially no additional cost to the purchaser. The simple construction illustrated and described easily affords a means of accomplishing this desirable result of providing an inexpensive and yet very satisfactory cover member.

In view of the detailed description included above, the operation of the cover member of the present invention will be obvious and no further discussion need be included herein. When it is desired to perform the sealing operation, the cover is inserted into the container as is indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing with the halves l3a and I3?) of the cover folded somewhat. When the cover is inserted so as to be positioned at aimed in the appended claims to cover all such.

changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A. device for resealing a container at least partially filled with paint once it has been opened so as to preserve the paint contained therein, comprising a multi-part member shaped so that the peripheral edge thereofcorresponds to the shape of the inside wall of said container, said Y multipart member being collapsible for ready insertion into said container, spring means on said member and acting on the parts thereof to bias said member into engagement with the inside wall of said container at the level of the paint contained therein, said memberhaving nar-v row openings spaced around the peripheral edge thereof to permit some of said paint to squeeze therethrough to provide a seal `between said peripheral edge and the engaged wall of said container.

2. A device for resealing .a container at least partially filled with paint once it has been opened so as to preserve the paint contained therein comprising a sealing member including a pair of pivotally related elements, said sealing member being so shaped that the peripheral edge thereof corresponds to the shape of the perimeter of said container when said elements are disposed in a common plane, means for biasing said member into engagement with the vwalls of said container at the level of the paint contained therein, and means defining a plurality of narrow openings along the peripheral edge of said meinber whereby paint is adapted to squeeze therethrough to provide a complete seal between said peripheral edge and the engaging walls of said container.

3. A device for resealing a container at least partially filled with paint once it has been opened so as to preserve the paint contained therein comprising a sealing member including a pair of plvotally related elements, said sealing member being so shaped that the peripheral edge thereof corresponds tothe shape of the perimeter of said container when said elements aredis posed in a common plane, means for biasing said member into engagement with the walls of said container at the level of the paint contained therein, means lat the periphery of said sealing member adapted to engage a substantial area of the walls of said container, and means defining a plurality of narrow openings along the peripheral edge of said member whereby paint is adapted to squeeze therethrough to provide a complete seal between said peripheral edge and the engaging walls of said container.

4. A device for resealing a cylindrical container at least partially filled with paint once it has been opened so as to preserve the paint contained therein comprising a pair of semicircular sheet metal stampings, a hinge pin for pivotally relating said stampings to form a circular seal 5` ing member, a plurality of spaced upwardly exn tending prongs at the periphery of said member adapted to engage substantial areas of said container Walls, means for holding said device when inserting or removing it from said container comprising va pair of identical elements one associated with each of said stampings, and means for biasing said member into engagement with the walls of said container at the level of the paint contained therein comprising a spring associated with said last-mentioned means, said spaced prongs extending beyond the periphery of said member so as to dene a plurality of narrow slots around said periphery through which REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 992,818 Speck May 23, 1911 2,167,619 Bainton Aug. l, 1939 

